Also, just FYI, it is typically that a symmetrical layout is not a functional one, and vice versa. For example, this is a very common symmetrical layout with the sink and range both centered and lined up: This causes two problems: 1) The counters are all chopped up into small pieces. If you look, all the stretches of counter you have to work on in this kitchen are roughly 2' wide. That would be IMMENSELY frustrating to get anything done on. On any given counter, if you center your range/sink, it divides the counter on either side into two small pieces. Whereas if you place the range/sink off-center, you get one longer stretch of counter and one shorter stretch. This latter situation is WAY more functional because you can actually get something done on the longer stretch. 2) The sink and range are directly back-to-back. This means a person at the sink will be bumping into a person at the range, and both will be crowding each other. When the sink and range are staggered in the kitchen, a person at the sink and a person at the range will not be in each other's way. It's not as if you can't have some things centered or lined up in a kitchen, but you will curse perfect symmetry any time you try to DO anything. You might need to have a talk with your husband about maybe getting his symmetrical kicks in from other parts of the house where it is not at the expense of function.

That fireplace is a bad dream!!...looks like an add on.... Ideally remove the bad faux stone....but meanwhile whitewash or paint it. And put "something" on the floor so it looks like a hearth in front of the fireplace rather than a "thing" stuck on the wall. Add a piece of trim to the top of the door, to even out the height of the window and the door.....and Paint the brown door the color of the trim. I would also get some honeycomb blinds for both door and window and paint the wall (and that chair rail!) the same color so the window and door disappear into the wall.....and paint the wall plugs the same color as the wall so they don't look like white patches on the wall. Is the floor real wood or pergo? I agree, once you get a rug and furniture and paint the walls a color that complements rather than fights with the floor color I think you will like it better. And that brass glass door cover is very handy....keeps sparks from popping out and allows you to leave a fire and go to bed without worry.

Position the swing so it won't hit the house. Perpendicular to the porch. This way you can still have a conversation with people in chairs.

Hello, we have the following open floor plan and the position of the pantry looks awkward. Yes, you're right to be concerned about the pantry: it is poorly placed because you have to walk allll the way around the future elevator and through the kitchen. And then the pantry is blocking what could be a window on the exterior wall. Moreover, the space to the left from the kitchen island is wasted and we would rather have the bigger dining area. Agree, that's wasted space We do not drink wine so the wine room is not an option for us. Yeah, I don't get why people are so crazy over wine. We are obsessed with coffee and need a coffee station, its location is wherever- no real preferences. The coffee station is currently placed in an awful location because anyone who wants to use it has to walk through the kitchen ... ideally it'd be on one edge of the kitchen. This would allow one family member to make coffee without walking through the kitchen ... if better positioned, the coffee station might also house a cookie jar, a bowl of fruit, or a cake under a dome ... or could be a drink station for parties. Random thoughts about the plan, mostly the kitchen: - This kitchen is huge. I think you're falling for a common mistake: thinking that bigger = better. Or, I really want a nice kitchen, and that must mean a BIG kitchen; in reality, more is much more expensive to build (and you don't want to be forced to skimp on cabinets and countertops) and ends up being more space for clutter. It's better to have a moderate-sized kitchen and an adjacent large pantry for storage. - Ideally you'd be able to walk through the mudroom to the pantry, store your groceries, then enter the kitchen. - You want to get the refrigerator out of the corner ... as it's placed now, the door won't be able to open completely. Perhaps the coffee spot could go on the other side of the refrigerator, or you could have a tall-thin pantry cabinet for small appliance storage. - Everyone likes natural light, and the pantry /optional wine room are robbing your kitchen /dining area of that natural light. BUT you have essentially a whole wall of glass on the back side .... this is too much of a good thing. Moderate light coming from two sides would be superior. - The rest of the house looks reasonable in size ... but you're looking at an oversized refrigerator and range. I'd go with standard sized appliances. - I do like that you have good circulation around the dining room table, and the table is ideally located next to the kitchen. - With no bedrooms downstairs, why the shower in the downstairs bathroom? That'll cost 5-7K. What I think I'd do: - Move the mudroom (outlined in black) between the garage and the kitchen ... this allows natural light in the mudroom. I'd go with a pocket door between the mudroom and the kitchen. The mudroom and pantry are larger than they were in your original image. - Place the pantry (edged in green) between the garage and the kitchen ... this gives you a larger pantry and gets it into the middle of the house, where it isn't blocking natural light. - The coffee bar (edged in blue) is now outside of the kitchen area. It's convenient for people in the living room or guests at the dining room table. You could put in an undercounter refrigerator for canned drinks. - Ideally the range would be on the exterior wall for venting. - This could get you a great closet (or two smaller closets) in the foyer. Coats? Cleaning closet? - You could have windows on two sides of your kitchen, which would bring in great natural light. - This makes the kitchen, while still large, a little more reasonable in size. Other things to consider: - Where is your trash can? - What's the pathway for taking trash out? - Where's your fire extinguisher? - Where's your microwave, if you plan to have one?